[Greenwood]

Update 52


Reyansh ki aankh khuli toh sabse pehle usne phone uthaya.
Jheel ka message tha.
Jheel: Good morning, Mr. Perfect. ❤️
Reyansh ne muskurakar reply kiya.
Reyansh: Aaj promotion mil gaya? Kal tak main sirf Mr. Generally Happy tha.
Jheel: Woh temporary designation tha.
Reyansh: Aur Mr. Perfect permanent hai?
Jheel: Bilkul nahi. Abhi probation par ho.
Reyansh hans pada.
Reyansh: Tumhari company mein promotion milna mushkil hai.
Jheel: Lekin ek baar permanent ho gaye toh benefits bahut hain.
Reyansh ne message padhkar kuch pal socha.
Reyansh: Benefits mein kya-kya milega?
Jheel: Achhi coffee, meri company, kabhi-kabhi hugs aur bahut saari complaints.
Reyansh: Last wala package mein compulsory hai?
Jheel: Haan. Non-refundable.
Reyansh bed par baithkar hansne laga.
Phir usne likha:
Reyansh: Toh mujhe yeh job manzoor hai.
Jheel ne dil wala emoji bheja.
Reyansh ne phone rakh diya aur khidki ke paas chala gaya.
Bengaluru ki subah apni raftaar se chal rahi thi. Sadak par traffic badhne laga tha, aas-paas ki buildings mein log apne din ki shuruaat kar rahe the.
Usne coffee banayi aur socha ki shaam ko Jheel ke saath kuch waqt bitaya jaaye.
Lekin aaj woh sirf outing plan nahi karna chahta tha.
Woh chahta tha ki Jheel ko mehsoos ho ki uski zindagi mein uski jagah kitni khaas hai.


Office pahunchne se pehle Reyansh ne Arshad ko call kiya.
Arshad ne phone uthate hi kaha, "Bol, aaj kiski yaad aa gayi?"
"Teri."
"Jhooth bolne se pehle kam se kam do second ruk jaaya kar."
Reyansh hans diya.
"Shaam ka koi plan hai?"
"Tha. Lekin ab mujhe darr lag raha hai ki tu mujhe apni love story ka unpaid assistant banane wala hai."
"Bas ek advice chahiye."
Arshad ki awaaz mein turant dilchaspi aa gayi.
"Bata."
"Jab tum kisi ke saath ho aur tumhe lage ki woh tumhari zindagi mein bahut important ho gayi hai, toh use kaise bataoge?"
Doosri taraf kuch pal ki khamoshi rahi.
Phir Arshad bola, "Seedha bol dega."
"Bas?"
"Haan. Tu presentation bana raha hai kya? Introduction, body, conclusion?"
Reyansh hans pada.
Arshad ne aage kaha, "Dekh, agar woh tere liye important hai toh use kisi grand gesture ki zaroorat nahi. Kabhi-kabhi saamne baithkar sach bolna hi kaafi hota hai."
Reyansh kuch der chup raha.
"Tu kabhi-kabhi kaam ki baat bhi kar leta hai."
"Main copywriter hoon. Kaam ki baat meri speciality hai. Bakwaas mera passion."
Dono hans pade.
Call khatam hone ke baad Reyansh kuch der phone dekhta raha.
Usne decide kar liya ki shaam ko woh Jheel se apne dil ki baat kahega.
Bina kisi joke ke.
Bina kisi rating ke.


Shaam se pehle Jheel ka message aaya.
Jheel: Aaj tumhare ghar aa sakti hoon?
Reyansh ne turant reply kiya.
Reyansh: Tumhe mujhse appointment leni padegi?
Jheel: Nahi. Bas poochh rahi thi.
Reyansh: Tumhara ghar hai. Jab mann kare aa jao.
Kuch pal baad usne doosra message bheja.
Reyansh: Waise, aaj dinner mere ghar par karte hain?
Jheel: Tum banaoge?
Reyansh: Haan.
Jheel: Pichhli baar wali egg bhurji?
Reyansh: Tumhare saamne meri culinary skills ka mazaak udana band karo.
Jheel: Main toh bas apni jaan ki safety check kar rahi hoon.
Reyansh hans pada.
Reyansh: Theek hai. Aaj tumhari favourite dish banane ki koshish karunga.
Jheel: Koshish?
Reyansh: Main insaan hoon, restaurant nahi.
Jheel: Achha. Main 7 baje aa jaungi.
Reyansh ne phone rakh diya.
Aaj shaam uske ghar par Jheel aane wali thi.
Aur is baar use kisi café ki table reserve nahi karni thi, na traffic ka plan banana tha.
Bas apna ghar thoda sa theek karna tha aur dinner banana tha.
Use pata nahi kyun, lekin yeh baat kisi bhi outing se zyada personal lag rahi thi.


Saat bajne mein abhi aadha ghanta tha.
Reyansh kitchen mein khada tha. Counter par sabziyan, masale aur do recipe videos khule hue the.
Usne ek video dekha, phir doosra.
"Ek hi dish ke chaar tareeke kyun hain?" woh khud se bola.
Phone vibrate hua.


Jheel: Main nikal rahi hoon.
Reyansh: Theek hai. Dinner almost ready hai.
Jheel ne turant reply kiya.
Jheel: Iska matlab abhi shuru bhi nahi hua?
Reyansh: Tum mere talent par bharosa hi nahi karti.
Jheel: Main tumhare confidence par bharosa karti hoon. Talent ka result dinner ke baad pata chalega.
Reyansh hans pada.
Usne phone rakhkar cooking shuru kar di.
Kuch der baad darwaze ki bell baji.
Reyansh ne haath saaf kiye aur darwaza khola.
Jheel saamne khadi thi.
"Hello, chef."
Reyansh ne use dekha.
"Welcome to my restaurant."
Jheel andar aayi aur living room par nazar daudayi.
"Restaurant toh achha hai."
"Food critic, please kitchen mein aaiye."
Jheel kitchen mein pahunchi toh counter par bikhra samaan dekhkar hans padi.
"Yahan khana ban raha hai ya cooking competition chal raha hai?"
"Main experiment kar raha hoon."
"Kis cheez ka?"
"Apni girlfriend ko impress karne ka."
Jheel ki hansi dheemi ho gayi.
Woh uske kareeb aayi.
"Impress karne ke liye itni mehnat karne ki zaroorat nahi hai."
Reyansh ne uski aankhon mein dekha.
"Phir kis liye karun?"
Jheel ne uska haath pakad liya.
"Mujhe khush karne ke liye."
Reyansh muskuraya.
"Mission accepted."
Jheel ne uske gaal par ek chhota sa kiss diya.
"Ab main help karun?"
Reyansh ne turant kaha, "Haan. Warna mission fail ho jayega."
Dono hans pade.
Jheel ne sabzi kaatne mein uski madad ki. Reyansh kabhi masala dhoondhta, kabhi spoon, aur kabhi recipe video ko dobara dekhta.
Jheel ne ek baar use dekha aur kaha, "Tum office mein itne confident kaise rehte ho?"
"Office mein sab kuch PowerPoint se solve ho jaata hai."
"Aur kitchen mein?"
"Yahan PowerPoint ki kami hai."
Jheel hans-hanskar dohari ho gayi.
Reyansh use dekhta raha.
Uski hansi use achhi lagti thi.
Aur aaj use use hansane ke liye koi joke ya plan banane ki zaroorat nahi thi.
Bas dono ek saath the.


Sabzi mein namak thoda kam tha aur rotiyan ek taraf se zyada sik gayi thi.
Lekin Jheel ne plate mein khana liya aur pehla niwala khaaya.
Reyansh uska chehra dekh raha tha.
"Kaisa hai?"
Jheel ne kuch der sochne ka natak kiya.
Reyansh ki aankhein sikud gayin.
"Jheel, seedha jawab do."
Usne doosra niwala khaaya.
"Achha hai."
"Sach mein?"
"Haan. Thoda namak kam hai."
Reyansh ne sar pakad liya.
"Mujhe pata tha!"
Jheel hans padi.
"Lekin tumne banaya hai. Isliye aur achha lag raha hai."
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
"Yeh consolation prize hai?"
"Nahi. Sach hai."
Woh dono dinner karte rahe. Beech-beech mein office ke kisse, bachpan ki chhoti yaadein aur rozmarra ki baatein hoti rahi.
Dinner ke baad Jheel ne plates uthani shuru ki.
Reyansh ne uska haath rok diya.
"Guest ho tum."
"Main tumhari girlfriend hoon. Guest nahi."
Reyansh ne muskurakar plates uske haath se le li.
"Achha, toh girlfriend ko sofa par baithne ka order hai."
Jheel ne aankhein ghumayi.
"Ji, chef."
Woh living room mein baith gayi.
Reyansh kitchen saaf karke aaya toh Jheel sofa par uski favourite kitab dekh rahi thi.
"Tum yeh padhte ho?" usne poochha.
"Kabhi-kabhi."
"Tumhare baare mein ek nayi baat pata chali."
"Abhi toh bahut kuch pata chalna baaki hai."
Jheel ne kitab band ki.
"Achha hai. Mujhe tumhe jaan-na pasand hai."
Reyansh uske paas baith gaya.
"Mujhe bhi tumhe jaan-na pasand hai."
Jheel ne apna sir uske kandhe par rakh diya.
Kuch der dono chup rahe.
Phir Jheel ne kaha, "Aaj ka dinner mujhe bahut achha laga."
Reyansh ne poochha, "Khana?"
Jheel ne uske kandhe par halka sa maara.
"Poora waqt, Reyansh."
Usne Jheel ka haath pakad liya.
"Achha."
Woh uske kareeb baitha raha.
Kabhi-kabhi ek seedha sa jawab bhi bahut kuch keh deta hai.


Raat thodi aur gehri ho gayi thi.
Living room mein sirf ek lamp jal raha tha. Baahar se traffic ki awaaz ab kam aa rahi thi.
Jheel Reyansh ke paas baithi thi, uska haath apne haathon mein liye.
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
"Jheel, ek baat kahun?"
"Haan."
"Main tumhare saath bahut khush hoon."
Jheel ne muskurakar kaha, "Yeh toh mujhe pata hai."
"Nahi. Mera matlab... tumhare aane ke baad meri zindagi mein kuch chhoti-chhoti cheezein badli hain."
Woh kuch pal ruka.
"Ab subah uthkar phone check karne ki wajah hoti hai. Kisi ko din ke baare mein batane ka mann karta hai. Kabhi koi achhi baat hoti hai toh sabse pehle tumhe batana chahta hoon."
Jheel chupchaap sunti rahi.
Reyansh ne uska haath apne haathon mein liya.
"Main pehle bhi apni zindagi jee raha tha. Kaam tha, dost the, apna routine tha. Lekin tumhare saath mujhe lagta hai ki main sirf din guzaar nahi raha. Main kuch achhe pal bhi jee raha hoon."
Jheel ki aankhon mein nami si chamak uthi.
Reyansh ne dheere se kaha, "I love you, Jheel. Sirf isliye nahi ki tum mujhe khush karti ho. Isliye bhi kyunki tumhare saath main apni asli feelings ko chhupana nahi chahta."
Jheel kuch pal use dekhti rahi.
Phir woh uske kareeb aayi aur use gale laga liya.
Reyansh ne bhi use apni baahon mein bhar liya.
Jheel ne uske kandhe par chehra tikakar kaha, "I love you too."
Reyansh ne uske baalon ko pyaar se sehlaaya.
Jheel peeche hati aur uski aankhon mein dekha.
"Ek baat aur."
"Bolo."
"Mujhe tumhare saath aise hi waqt bitana hai. Kabhi bahar, kabhi ghar par. Kabhi bahut saari baatein, kabhi bilkul khamoshi."
Reyansh ne muskurakar kaha, "Mujhe bhi."
Jheel ne uske gaal par haath rakha.
Phir usne use kiss kiya.
Reyansh ne bhi uske honton par ek narm kiss diya.
Dono kuch pal ek-doosre ke kareeb rahe.
Jab woh alag hue, Jheel ne muskurakar kaha, "Tumhari cooking ko 8/10."
Reyansh ne hairani se use dekha.
"Abhi hum itna romantic moment share kar rahe the aur tumhe cooking yaad aa rahi hai?"
Jheel hans padi.
"Main honest reviewer hoon."
Reyansh ne use dobara gale laga liya.
"Agli baar 10/10."
"Challenge accepted."


Raat ke kareeb das baj rahe the.
Jheel ne phone dekha.
"Mujhe ab chalna chahiye."
Reyansh ne sar hilaya.
"Haan."
Lekin uska haath abhi bhi Jheel ke haath mein tha.
Jheel ne uski taraf dekha.
"Kya hua?"
"Kuch nahi."
"Reyansh."
Woh muskuraya.
"Bas mann kar raha hai ki tum thodi der aur ruko."
Jheel ke chehre par ek narm si muskurahat aa gayi.
"Toh pehle hi keh dete."
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
"Rukogi?"
Jheel ne uska haath daba diya.
"Thodi der."
Woh dono phir sofa par baith gaye.
Is baar kisi ne phone nahi uthaya.
Koi naya plan nahi bana.
Koi rating nahi di gayi.
Jheel ne Reyansh ke kandhe par sir rakha aur usne uska haath thaam liya.
Kuch der baad Jheel ne dheere se kaha, "Tumhe pata hai, mujhe tumhare ghar par achha lagta hai."
Reyansh ne poochha, "Kyun?"
"Kyunki yahan tum mere saath hote ho. Aur mujhe lagta hai ki main tumhari zindagi ka hissa hoon."
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
"Tum ho, Jheel."
Jheel ne aankhein band kar li.
Reyansh ne uske maathe par kiss kiya.
Woh kuch der aur wahin rahi.
Phir aakhirkar uthkar darwaze ki taraf badhi.
Reyansh use chhodne aaya.
Darwaze par Jheel palti aur uske kareeb aa gayi.
"Goodnight."
Reyansh ne muskurakar kaha, "Goodnight."
Jheel ne use ek baar phir gale lagaya.
Phir uske honton par ek narm kiss diya.
Reyansh ne uska haath pakadkar dheere se kaha, "Take care."
Jheel ne muskurakar jawab diya, "Tum bhi."
Darwaza band ho gaya.
Reyansh kuch der wahin khada raha.
Aaj ki shaam kisi grand date jaisi nahi thi.
Lekin usne Jheel ke saath kuch aisa mehsoos kiya tha jo kisi special location ya perfect dinner se nahi milta.
Apnapan.


Jheel apne flat mein aayi toh uske chehre par abhi bhi muskurahat thi.
Usne phone table par rakha, paani piya aur bed par baith gayi.
Kuch der baad Reyansh ka message aaya.
Reyansh: Ghar pahunch gayi?
Jheel: Haan, Mr. Perfect.
Reyansh: Aaj ka final review?
Jheel: Dinner 8/10. Company 10/10.
Reyansh ne turant reply kiya.
Reyansh: Toh overall rating?
Jheel: Overall... tum mere favourite ho.
Reyansh kuch pal screen dekhta raha.
Phir usne likha:
Reyansh: Tum bhi meri favourite ho.
Jheel ne dil wala emoji bheja.
Reyansh ne phone rakh diya.
Woh bed par leta aur aankhein band kar li.
Uske dimaag mein Jheel ki hansi, uski baatein aur living room mein saath bitaaye hue woh shaant pal ghoomne lage.
Use laga ki woh dheere-dheere kisi ko apni zindagi mein jagah dena seekh raha hai.
Sirf milne ke liye nahi.
Sirf khush rehne ke liye nahi.
Balki apne din, apni aadatein aur apni khamoshi tak baantne ke liye.
Usne karwat badli.
Aaj use kisi sawaal ka jawab nahi dhoondhna tha.
Bas ek baat use saaf mehsoos ho rahi thi.
Woh Jheel se pyaar karta tha. Aur Jheel usse.